The Travel Mentor

Travel Smarter

Anthony

I have an obsession with Din Tai Fung. Visiting the original location of Din Tai Fung was at the top of my list of must do things in Taipei. Din Tai Fung was founded in 1972. Along with Taipei, there are branches in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and eleven other countries. The restaurant has become an international phenomenon for their Taiwanese soup dumplings known as xiao long bao. The restaurant chain is considered one of the best in the world…

Located just outside Exit 2 of Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall MRT Station is Jin Feng, considered by many to serve the best lu rou fan in Taipei, Taiwan. You can find lu rou fan (滷肉飯), a simple Taiwanese dish of braised pork rice, at countless restaurants and street food stalls across Taipei and Taiwan. Jin Feng (金峰魯肉飯) might be the most famous. For over 30 years, Jin Feng has perfected the art of the pork and rice dish along with…

For over 40 years, locals have considered Ji Guang Xiang Xiang (继光香香鸡), also known as J&G Chicken, to have the best fried chicken in Taipei. Since opening in Taichung in 1973, J&G Chicken, or Ji Guang Delicious Fried Chicken, has become a household name. Over the years, the restaurant has continued to expand across Taiwan and currently has international branches in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. J&G Chicken was located in a prime location at the entrance of Ximending…

One of the most well-known streets food found at Taipei’s Ximending is Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken. This small restaurant, ironically located below KFC, has become famous for its large Taiwanese fried chicken. The first Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken location opened at nearby Shilin Night Market. Today, the restaurant has chains across Taiwan and across the globe. One thing I noticed about this restaurant was how busy it was, at all hours of the day. You could always find a line…

If you’re visiting Taipei, you can’t leave without trying one of the most simple yet delicious Taiwanese comfort dishes, Lu Rou Fan (滷肉飯). This beloved dish is simply braised pork over rice. You can find lu rou fan at restaurants and street food stalls all across Taipei and Taiwan. One of my favorite places to sample the dish is at Tian Tian Li (天天利美食坊) in the Ximending neighborhood of Taipei, Taiwan. Tian Tian Li was located off Hanzhong Street, the…

Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle (阿宗麵線) in Taipei’s Ximending neighborhood is hard to miss. You can always tell which places are popular by the number of people waiting outside. Just look for the long line and crowds of people standing around in the street with bowls of flour rice noodles. The restaurant, more of a street stall in a building, seemed to be busy at all hours of the day. From opening to closing, both locals and tourists flocked here for the…

If you are looking for the best gua bao in Taipei, you go to one place, Lan Jia Gua Bao (藍家割包). Gua bao, sometimes called the Taiwanese hamburger, is usually made by stuffing a steamed bun with braised pork belly, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and peanut powder. Nowhere prepares this popular Taiwanese snack better than Lan Jia Gua Bao. Popular with locals, tourists, and pork lovers, you will usually find a line of hungry people waiting patiently out front of this…

Out of all the beef noodle shops in Taipei, none are more well known than Lin Dong Fang (林東芳牛肉麵). At any hour of the day, you can expect to find a line of both locals and tourists patiently waiting outside of this tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant waiting to try a bowl of their famous niu rou mian (牛肉麵), or beef noodle soup. Beef noodle soup is an iconic dish of Taiwan. It’s the national dish. If you have never had it…

One of the best and easiest ways to reach Taipei Main Station from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) is by using Bus 1819. The journey, which takes about one hour, is inexpensive, comfortable, and perfect for travels in a group or with luggage. Orientation to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Taoyuan International Airport is located in the city of Taoyuan, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of central Taipei. The airport is the largest and busiest in Taiwan and is…

Tiki’s Grill & Bar, located across the street from Waikiki Beach at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, is one of my favorite spots in Honolulu for happy hour drinks and food. Every time I return to Hawaii, I make a stop here, whether with friends, family, or even alone. There’s just something special about this place for me. Maybe because my dad would bring me here when I was younger on my much-anticipated yearly trips to Hawaii. Today, the food,…